Support structure for fixing a medical instrument

ABSTRACT

Support structure for fixing a laparoscope in a predetermined position relative to a patient on an operating table. The support structure comprises a vertical support arm which is displaceable on a horizontal support arm directed transversely to the operating table. The vertical support arm carries a slide body with a shelf for the laparoscope. The slide body has a friction member creating against the vertical support arm a friction selected so that the slide body is displaceable by hand force but retains its position when it is only loaded by the laparoscope.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a support structure for fixing amedical instrument in a predetermined position, comprising at least oneelongated support member having means for fixing the same in apredetermined position and being connected to a first support armlaterally directed from said support member, said first support armbeing in turn connected to a second support arm forming an anise withsaid first support arm and supporting a slide body, which has means tocarry said instrument and is displaceable and fixable relative to thesecond support arm, the support member and the interconnections of thesupport arms comprising means to permit lateral displacement of thesecond support arm relative to the support member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In laparoscopy, for example, a camera is usually coupled to thelaparoscope. The operator moves the instrument and the laparoscope downthrough entrance ports, so-called trocars, placed in the abdominal wall.In order to enable the operator to use both hands, anassistant/cameraman is required to hold and guide the laparoscope/cameraas the operator desires. Savings can be made if an operation assistantcan be replaced by a mechanical structure which can hold the medicalinstrument, e.g. the laparoscope, in a predetermined position and whichcan be simply repositioned by the operator himself. Various devices areknown which can be used for this purpose, but all are complicated byhaving motor-driven functions. Such a known device is shown anddescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,676. Here there are achieved thefunctions described by way of introduction with the aid of telescopingor articulated arms with electric motors and electromagneticallycontrolled braking means for adjusting and fixing in a certain position.This known device is particularly expensive and complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is in general to achieve a supportstructure of the type described by way of introduction which consists offew parts, is simple and inexpensive, but still fulfills therequirements which are placed on its use, in particular in laparoscopy.

This is achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact thatthe second support arm extends vertically from the laterally directedfirst support arm and that the slide body is displaceable on the secondsupport arm against the effect of a friction which is selected so thatthe slide body is displaceable by hand force but retains its positionwhen it is only loaded by the medical instrument.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail with reference toexamples shown in the accompanying drawings, where

FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view obliquely from the side.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a supportstructure according to the invention, and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of asupport structure according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The support structure shown in FIGS. 1-3 comprises first structuremembers in the form of two posts 1, which are designed to be fixedvertically on either side of an operating-table 2, for example, with theaid of existing fixing means on the operating-table which are used tofix sedation equipment. The posts are provided at their upper ends withthrough-holes 3 of rectangular cross-section, through which a supportarm 4 extends. The support arm 4 is of corresponding cross-section andextends with very little play through the holes 3, so that it can bedisplaced laterally by hand but is prevented from rotation.

On the support arm 4, a second support arm 5 is fixed in a position inwhich it extends vertically upwards from the support arm 4. The supportarm 5 is of circular cross-section and extends through a tubular slidebody 6, the inner surface of which is so adapted to the outer surface ofthe support arm 5 that it can be displaced upwards and downwards on thevertical support arm by hand against a certain resistance caused byfriction.

The slide body 6 can have an elastic lining, for example, which providesgrip between the slide body 6 and the support arm 5 so that the slidebody retains its position when it is loaded by a medical instrument suchas a laparoscope 7, which rests freely on a shelf 8 tippably joined tothe slide body, which can be easily displaced by hand together with thelaparoscope 7 upwards and downwards along the support arm.

FIG. 3 shows a laparoscope 7 which extends through a trocar 9, which isin place in the abdominal wall 10 of a patient 11 resting on theoperating-table 2. The trocar 9 has a valve/rubber packing (not shown),through which the laparoscope 7 extends and which, due to friction,fixes the laparoscope axially. By displacing the horizontal support arm4 horizontally relative to the posts 1 and by displacing the slide body6 vertically relative to the support arm 5, the distal end of thelaparoscope 7 can be directed to any selected position within theoperating range. The frictional fixing of the laparoscope 7 in therubber packing/valve of the trocar 9, in combination with sliding overthe shelf, will mean that the distance of the laparoscope from theoperating area 8 will remain unchanged.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a support structure according to theinvention. It has a single vertical post 20, intended to be fixed to oneside of the operating-table, and a laterally directed support arm 21,which is fixed to a sleeve 22 which is displaceably mounted on anadditional support arm 23 radially joined to the post 20. The post 20 isintended to be fixed relative to the operating-table 2 so that the arm23 extends in the longitudinal direction of the table 2. The arm 23 andthe sleeve 22 are of rectangular cross-section to prevent the sleevefrom rotating relative to the arm. This makes the laterally directedsupport arm 21 displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the tableat the same time as it is stabilized horizontally.

The support arm 21 is of rectangular cross-section and carries a sleeve24 of corresponding cross-section, which is displaceable butnon-rotatable relative to the arm 21. A pair of parallel rods 25 arefixed to the sleeve 24 and extend vertically upwards. The rods 25 extendthrough parallel bores in a slide body 26. which is provided with adepression 27 forming a shelf for a laparoscope. One of the bores in theslide body 26 is intersected by a rectangular cavity 28 in which thereextends a rubber element 29 of complementary shape. The rubber element29 has a bore through which the rod 25 extends in the associated bore inthe slide body. The rubber element 29 accesses a friction element to fixthe slide body in the set position relative to the rods 25 and it iseasily replaced when worn.

I claim:
 1. A support structure for fixing a medical instrument in apredetermined position, comprising:at least one elongated support memberextending in a first direction of a first axis; an elongated firstsupport arm coupled to said support member, said first support armextending in a second direction of a second axis which extends at afirst angle relative to said first axis; at least one elongated secondsupport arm coupled to said first support arm, said second support armextending in a third direction of a third axis which extends at a secondangle relative to said second axis, said second support arm beingmovable in said second direction; a slide body friction fit to saidsecond support arm, said slide body including means for carrying themedical instrument, and being movable in said third direction by handforce against said friction fit, but retaining its position whencarrying the medical instrument.
 2. The support structure according toclaim 1, wherein said at least one support member comprises two supportmembers.
 3. The support structure according to claim 1, wherein saidsecond support arm is fixed to said first support arm, and said firstsupport arm is movable in said second direction.
 4. The supportstructure according to claim 1, wherein said at least one elongatedsecond support arm comprises two parallel second support arms, saidslide body being friction fit to said two parallel second support arms.5. The support structure according to claim 4, wherein said two parallelsecond support arms are attached to and extend through parallel bores ina sleeve, said sleeve being coupled to said first support arm andmovable in said second direction, at least one of said bores containinga friction member.